SITUATION REPORT 2006-16e

Colorado.gov

Previous SITREPs posted at: http://dola.colorado.gov/dem/operations/sitreps/sitreps.htm

Press Releases posted at: http://dola.colorado.gov/dem/Press/press_releases.htm

Report Date: 1300 hours, December 29, 2006

Event Type: Blizzard

Situation: Multiple government, road / highway, school, and businesses remain closed through the day as the state starts to recover from yesterday’s storm. However, the eastern plains are beginning to feel the impact of an additional storm cell is brining more snow and wind to the regions. NOAA has declared a BLIZZARD WARNING for the Southeast Region.

As we wait for the arrival of the second storm on December 29th, National Guard assets are being refocused to supporting activities on the eastern plains. Their current missions involve: rescue operations near the city of Campo (22 miles south of Springfield in Baca County) and

Prowers County south on Hwy 287 at mile marker 71.

The SEOC has contingency plans to remain open through noon on December 30th.

Disaster Declarations (for the current blizzard):

State of Colorado
Fort Morgan
Adams County
Arapahoe County
Brighton
Holyoke
Arvada (Snow Emergency Declaration)
Larimer County
Clear Creek County
Loveland
Commerce City
Morgan County
Douglas County
Sterling
Evans

Other declarations are pending signatures

Government Closures:

State of Colorado (non-essential employees) Greeley (non-essential employees)
Adams County Jefferson County
Arapahoe County Lakewood
Aurora Larimer County
Boulder City/County Park County
Centennial Parker
Douglas County Prowers County
Golden Wheat Ridge
Wheat Ridge

Highway and Road Closures and Restrictions:

US 85 from Ault to Wyoming
US 24 from Colorado Springs to Limon
I-70 both directions from Airpark to Kansas
US 36 from Aurora to Kansas
State Highway 86 from Kiowa to Limon
State Highway 196 from McClave to Bristol
US 160 from Trinidad to Kansas
State Highway 116 from US 287 to Kansas
State Highway 82 from Holly to Lycan
State Highway 109 from La Junta to Kim
US 385 from Sheridan Lake to US 36/Idalia
US 40 from Kit Carson to Kansas
State Highway 59 from Cope to Seibert
State Highway 71 from Ordway to Brush
State Highway 94 from US 40/287 (Avon) to Colorado Springs
US 40/287 from Limon to Lamar
US 287/385 from Springfield south to Oklahoma (accidents being cleared, road expected to open before too long if conditions cooperate)

CDOT has cleared the avalanche on Loveland Pass, CDOT assesses avalanche threat in other areas as moderate.

Shelters Open: 25 Shelters available, with a capacity of 1,300. 134 People are currently being sheltered.

Weather Report: Heavy snow to continue today for most areas of northeast and north central Colorado. After a break during the late night hours, heavy snow was spreading back across the Front Range and northeast plains of Colorado early this morning. Snowfall rates of an inch per hour will be common again this morning. Snowfall totals as of early this morning ranged from 12 to 30 inches on the east slopes of the Front Range. In the I-25 urban corridor, snow totals ranged from 7 to 14 inches. Farther east on the plains less snow has fallen, but heavy snow was developing.

The storm is currently centered over southwestern New Mexico and is expected to move slowly northeastward into the Texas panhandle by Sunday morning. This track will produce strong winds and heavy snowfall for the northeastern border counties of Colorado now through much of Sunday. This storm track could also produce heavy snowfall for the rest of the plains of northeast Colorado, the Front Range foothills and higher mountains east of the divide for much of the weekend. This includes the Denver metro area and the entire urban corridor. There are still uncertainties regarding the duration of the heavy snow after today and whether heavy snow will redevelop near the mountains this weekend. Because of this a winter storm watch continues through Saturday night for the north central mountains and Front Range foothills and the plains through Sunday afternoon.

Roads will be icy and snow packed and blowing and drifting snow will become more of a problem on the plains with time. The storm has also disrupted air travel at Denver international airport.

Agencies Involved: Adams County EOC, American Red Cross, Arapahoe County EOC, ARES/RACES, Arvada OEM, Brighton OEM, Broomfield EOC, Boulder EOC, Castle Rock OEM, Clear Creek EOC, Colorado Department of Agriculture, Colorado Department of Military and Veteran Affairs, Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado Division of Emergency Management, Colorado Division of Fire Safety, Colorado Springs EOC, Colorado State Patrol, Denver EOC, Douglas County EOC, El Paso Count y EOC, Elbert county EOC, Jefferson County EOC, Lakewood OEM, Otero EOCC, Salvation Army, Westminster OEM.

Misc. Information: CDOT has a website where they post the up-to-the-minute road conditions. http://www.cotrip.org, the upper left hand field is Travel Information select the 1st entry, “Road Conditions.” This page has a scroll down bar, Select a Report to View, which will give you a more customized report tailored to your Regions.

DEM Communications officer will be monitoring DTRS (800MHz) MAC 1, MAC 5, MAC 9, and MAC 21.

The State is still investigating the possibility of snow emergency public assistance declarations. We are encouraging every jurisdiction to keep track of their costs.